Target for amusement devices



March 18, 1930. w. A. TRATSCH TARGET FOR AMUSEMENT DEVICES Filed Feb. 23, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet Snventor VIQfLTraZJCk dttorneg March 1& 1930. w. A. TRATSCH 1,750,945

TARGET FOR AMUSEMENT DEVIEFES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1928 ll lllllllllll Bnpentor (Ittomeg I March 18, 1930. w, A, TRATS H 1,750,945,

TARGET FOR AMUSEMENT DEVICES Filed Feb. 25, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Isnneutor 714:4. Traiach Ara March 18, 1930.

W. A. TRATSCH TARGET FOR AMUSEMENT DEVICES Filed Feb. 23, 1928 SheetsSheet 4 I 9 n I 1,

m. Ml In Zmventor 775i) flak-072 ta get members as' it wouldgbe seen onthe partie 1 Patented Mar 18, 1930 v d .1 7

WA EBA- TBATS Q Z CA ILLINOIS I IABGEI FOB AMUSEMENT DEVICES Application filed. Febmia 'y 23,1;928. firial No. 256,352.

{lhis invention qel;ate s to a target for lnor der thatithis invention maybe the amusement devices; and hasifor its object to better llllClQiStGOCl it is sai d that there --was provide amechanisni attractivein appearissued ;to .lvaltei' A. Tratscli ,the United lance, sii nple'in operation and more efiicient States Letters Patents No. 1,551,858, dated P in use-than those heretoforeproposed. vSaptelnloer 1, 1925 entitled Amnsement de- 55 Withvthese and othenobjects in View the .vicefiand .No. 1,656,306 dated Janua r-y 17 invention. consists'in the novel details 01 l928uentitled Amusement device,jinwhich construction;andconibinations of parts as there wasdisclosed a coincontrolled pistol Willbe more hilly herein afterdisclosed and and a mechanism operated thei eby having 1 particularly pointed outinthe claims. associated therewith a targettoward which 60 -Rei'erring-tothe accompany-ing drawings balls could befired by said pistol. ln' the 'i ol mingxa paift 01 this specification in which later pate-ntitwas shown-that the balls yv e 'e .likennine als designatelikeparts in all the afilaptedtoihit vone .01 70 56 targets which, VieWg npont being struck, would release indicating 1 is mai 1 sectional View in ensi h inven q i ,clirecfiedtwnifi 65 taken vertically thi'ongh an amusement dep fi iwyligfi s ru tu dior fil e amepi imivice to which this inventionhas been ap 1. 2i cv ice shown in.S l dlfitlllemiQllfiglpatplied; eiit and to this end similar J efetence' nu- 1 Fig.2]is a perspectiveiviewof a detail of morals .will.des gnate parts si 1ni 1a1fito or theactnating rodeniployed to set thetargets BXMtbfifilR sameas the parts described in 70 as welLasfio;actuate a register for counting Said patent. m s i sm; Th ar,g t .is 0 sat aminietu e $1109 -s e ea l v -t a vi t gise l-e y si b ta ia ym ipllat scfithat t g struct e forming t u j matter zc i s l' t a W paten an nee-Impri i k appl c io ssue-wh m hav ng wiglass-ut p 3 ,di j Fig-5.1% isa toplplanview oftheparts shown posed abovean inclined floor 4 pro led with in;E -g;-3;- I a ..g'110,OV6. 5: OYGI WhiQh the gloallsg ay ]oe j5 :-lS;;t if1QI1t .elevational vriewof the fiited anddretnrnedfco the pistol lO t h ongh target structure shown in Fig." 3; ,said gnooye to loading position as indi- -6 isa transyeizsesectional viewhtaken 'cated atrGinonnWhich the; alls willenter so pas ontheli-neG-Gof Fig l and looking in the the ipist'ol and Joe recharged inf-to the btljlel .(lllT-QCi-lOlLOitllO; arrows; i hereof for subsequent fining. [El e pistol Fig. '7 is ati ansverselsectional View vtaken gdisclosed l-yatents is Qggoyided with a on theline 7-f7.t of Fig. 3 and looking in ,coin receiving slot, an; opeizatingslide adaptthe dir ection of the-rarrows; ,ed to,force a coinslof i eqnisite si zeypasit a 8' F3958 is; a horizontal .sectionaliview taken docking. lewjeiwwhereby thea tu ating pagts of as ong the :line-8.8 ofFig. 3 and looking in theupidiol will be rplaced -infoperatiye posithe y-ili- 'eci ion oi the arrows; tion so that calls can be success vel "fi -Fig.;-:9 isa detail plan V ew of one o f the fliqmisf he. vpistol toward the ta getsl linegai 9 of-Eigfland looking inthedirecvea? ierrpatent and thespec i w I tionqoftlie arrows; be ObSeIiYQCl that Jthe actnating slideTZO FigJlOis a- View similar to. Fig. 3;out with of! aid pistol is previ dedmwith a pingl igid t m s' difi p i i s; th r w t anc vconn ctedt ione,endofal ve 11 is a transverse esectionalwdetail 32 laptedto actuate, on theg 1 1 11 stroke 5 .taken as on;tl eline, 1l11 Of- FigflO and there01, -tl1e counting inechanis ngenerally filo-o gin the-directionof-the arrowsyand .lIICllCalZQEClbY11l1lum$IQl 83. v a i p12 isa-horizontal sectional iew taken lnjgl e lraw ingsaccompanyingothis speciadjacent one of thetfnllesti okel comipelling ,fication there,Vis, show {a pistol 1O substan- 59 dogs to show the mountingythereof. tiallya duplicate inal its', qaifts ofthepistol I) guide bracket 8 throughiwhich passes an actuafting rod 12 having-secured thereto at the pistolend'a casting 13 provided with a condisclosed said patents and universally mounted justfas was the-patented pistol,-and,

a cabinet 1 of substantially the samegeneral 30 as bythe rivets 34 area plurality of castings 35 having associated'at the upper end of constructionfasthe cabinet disclosed heretofore. The vmatuating lever 82 used: in connectionwith this inventionis substantially a duplicate of the same actuating lever hereto "fore disclosed, one end 88 thereofextending out of the pistol. Beneath the inclined floor 7 4 there is provided a false bottom 7 which is also below the end of the actuating lever 82,

and to this false'bottomis secured a suitable cave spherical surface lwith which the end oftheactuating lever 82 of the pistol coacts,

the sphericalsu'rface 14 being provided on accountof the universal mounting of the pis tol, all as will be readily-understood. Thus it will be seen that when the actuating slide fi( not shown in the drawings, but with which thelpistol is provided) is actuated, the lever 82 will be movedforwardly and the end 88 thereof, bearing against the surface 1430f the casting 13, will'likewise move the latter forward or away frointhe pistol.

The other end of the actuating rod 12is provided with'a vertical plate 16v adapted to moveuin a, slot in a guide bracket 18 secured to the cabinet in any suitable manner. The

upper and extreme end portion of the plate .16 isprovided with a bevelled surface 19 for a purpose presently to be disclosed, and said plate is further provided with a diagonal slot 20 adapted to receive a pin 21 carried by a crank 22 adapted to actuate a counter mechanism generally indicated by the numeral 25 V and of any well known type. Thus it will be seen that when the rod 12 is moved to the left as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings of this applicationthe' slot 20 of'the plate 16 will actuate the counter mechanism and the bevelled sur-- face 19 will cause a setting of the targets in a manner presently to be disclosed. To inv sure the return of the actuating rod 12 there is provideda helical spring'26 one end of which is secured to the guide bracket 8 and 7 the other end of which is fastened ro the platel6, .to pull the latter. backwardly' or to the 'rightas seen in "Fig. 1 when permitted to do so by the position i of the actuating lever '82 of the pistol 10.

The guide bracket 18 preferably is secured to and depends froma plate'30providedwith a plurality of apertures 31one for each target of'which there maybe as many as desired,

threelbein'g shown in the drawings. The

plate is rigidly secured to the cabinet 1 by any suitable means such as screws or bolts passing through'the holes 32 provided therefor. Above each target aperture3l is an aperture-33 through which may be'seen, by the'operatorofthe device, an indicator which is adapted tofstop in registrywith its window or aperture 33 when the target therebelow has beenhit by a fired ball.

Secured to the back side of the target plate each ajo'urnal box 36'for receiving a shaft 37 passing through all of said journals and upon which is loosely mountedja plurality of indicator wheels 38 one for each target, and upon 'theperiphery of each of whichis secured a strip 39on whicliisprinted or .otherwise im- "pressedvariouscharacters-40 which will roside of the shutter is provided with a slot slide 50, presently to be described,- so that said shutter. may be rotated aboutthe shaft 37 When the targets are being set to present an imperforate portion ofthe circular flange- 46 of said shutter to View through the indicator opening 33 in the plate 30 asshown in the outer positions of Fig; 5 as contra-' distinguished from the position of said shut- 48 adapted to receive a pilil9 of a tripping ter appearing in the center of said. figure.

in other words, when the targets are set it will be impo-ssible to see any ofthe characters 40 of the indicator wheels but, when a'target is struck theshutter ofthe indicator wheel associated with that target will bereleased and said shutter will rotate about the shaft 37 untiltheo ening-LZ therein comes in reglstry with the indicator'opening 33 in the plate30 to permit a view therethrough of the,

particular character 40 appearing when the I I indicator wheel comes ently be described.

Each target comprises a disk'55 rigidly secured to the upper end of a piece of thin spring steel 56, the lower end of which is rigto rest, as will pres-v ldly secured to a holding bar 57 in turn se- 7 I cured to the plate'30'as bythe' screws 58. 5

Each disk 55 isslightly la'rger'in diameter thanjthe target opening 31 inthe plate 30 with which it'registersandfadapted to rest against said plat ewhen in normal position, but when the disk55 is struck by a ball fired from the pistol 10 the 'vforce' 'oftheimpact,

will cause" the disk to move away from the plate 30 against the tension of the spring plate 56 but to again become seated against the plate 30 after releasing the indicating means. 3

On the back of eachdisk 55 and at the upper extremity thereof there is secured an anglefl 1 59. the extending portion of which is provided with anfaperture' 60 through which extends the lowerportion of the tripping slide 50; 'In other words, said slide is held in] raised poigraogeas sition, see Figs. 7- a11d9, by virtue'of a'tooth '61 formed thereon engaging oneof-the edges of the aperture of the target'angle 59, but when the target is struck and moves away from theplate 30, the angle 59 will move therewith thus disengaging the tooth 61 and permitting the'slide 50 to move downwardly, through the guide 62 carried by a casting 35, under action ofthe spring 63 one end of which'issecured to said slide andthe other end-of which is secured to afoot (it formed as an extension of the holding bar 57 rigid with the plate30. From'the above -menti*oned figuresit will bereadily seen that, when the slide 50 thus'm'oves downwardly, the-pin' 49 at the upper'end thereof by its engagement with the" slot 48 of the shutter 45 'will cause a 'turning of the latter from the aosition shown in Fig. 7 to the position shown in Fig. '11 at which time the opening of'the shutter will be in registrywith the indicator opening in the plate 80.

Each indicator wheel 38' is provided on one side with a smallstar-wheel 7 0' the points of which "are adapted to be contacted by'the pin 49 of the tripping'slide 50'so that upon the upward or downward movement of said slide thewheel will berotated on its shaft. A very quick sharp blow is given'by'the pin 49 to the star-wheel 'when the slide 50 is releasedunder spring tension from its elevated position upon thestriking of its associated target and this blowis *s-uficient" to cause adecide'd spinning of the indicator "wheel 38. There is a plurality of characters 40 on the periphery "of each indicator wheel and therefore it will be readily seen that any one of these characters may finally come into YiCW through the openings 33-and4l7 when the wheel comes to rest. "These characters lO may be in the same sequenceon'all of the indicator wheels, or the sequence maybe varied "to provide dissimilar showingsupon-equal rotations of two or' more wheels.

The other'side of the indicator wheel is likewise provided with a star-wheel the teeth or points of which are'adapted to be engaged by a detent 76 pivoted'asat 77 to a bracket 78 carried by an adjacent shaftsupporting casting 35 said detent being controlled by a light spring '79 to press the same against the star-wheel. This detent is to serve as a brake to cause the indicator wheel to come to rest within a short period of time afterit is spun as above described, thedetent being so disposed that it will have equal effect regardlessof the direction of rotation of the indicator wheel. The number of teeth inthe star wheel 75 and the total number of characters on the periphery of the associated indicator wheel are made equal, and the'detent F6is'furthersofpositioned as'to hold the indicator wheel stationary with one of the charactors in registry wit-h the target plate open- The strip: 39: of characters may bezsecurd to the indicator wheelinanyi-su-itable manner,

as for example byprovidingialong the lateral edge of the strip a plurality: of tabs 8O which may be bent into a-recess or pocket811pro- 'vided thereforin the' edge of theindicator wheel. Preferably the strip 39 is 'ofinetal with the characters 1O"lithographed thereon, and by the above securement aready change of strips may be effected.

The means for setting theit'arg'ets :will now be described. Substantially vcentrally disposed ofthetarget plate 30 and on the rear side thereofthere is rigidly secured a depending forked member carryingbetween the extremities of the forks a roller: 91 on'which the under side of the slide 16 of ithe actuating rod 12 may rollingly contact. superposed I on the mem'ber 90 and spaced therefromas by awasher 92 (see Fig: 2) there is a slidablemember 93 having at its upper end a longitudinally disposed slot94 =to re 'ceive a pin 95 carried by a bracket-96 on one ofthe shaft-supporting castings35, the member 93 being prevented from leaving said pin by the provision "of :any suitable locking means such-as a washer 97 a11d cotter-pinQS,

as will be readily understood from Fig.1 3;

The lowerend of'the'sl-ide93 is bifurcated "or -for ked to provide a runway 1'00 fora guiding pin 101, rigid with the holding bar -57 "of thfi target plate, said pinprovided with a washer 102 and cotterfpin forpreventing the slide 93 becoming disengaged therefrom. Between -the extremities of the forks of this slide there is provided a roller 105 which is adapted to contact with the 'bevelled'sur'face 19 of the'above mentioned operating slide 16,

so that when the latter is moved to the -left as seen in Fig. 1 the slide 93 will be moved "upwardly.

The Slide 93 :has rigidlysecured thereto a horizontal cross-bar -ex-tend iug laterally fromsaid slide a suffi'cient distance-to reset a-ll of the-targetsof thedevice. When' the slide-93 is moved upwardly, the cross-bar 11Owill come in contact with. the lower extremity lll of each shutter slide50, and the continued upward movement of said crossbar will cause each slide 50 totravel upward- 1y until the tooth61 carried thereby will: come to rest on the-angle'59-of its associated target," or in other words, come to the position shown in Fig. 7. This will permit all of the target disks55 to become set or seated against the target'plate 30, as shown in said figure, ready 'to be struck by a ball fired from the pistol. When a target disk is so struck, the blowthereofwill' flex the target spring-56 causing the angle 59associated with that target to move away from the targetplate 3O a distance su'fiicient to allowthe disengagement therewith of the tooth61 of the shutter slide,

lli)

whereupon said slide will move downward- 1y, under action of its spring 63, causing a rotationot the indicator wheel and a move;

, the opening'in said shutter.

mentof the .associatedshutter into position where the characters on the wheel will be visible to the operatorof the device through As previously stated when the actuating rod12'has' completed its function of setting the targets, said rod-will return to the position in which itis-shown in Fig.1 and when this occurs the slidev 93 and its cross-bar 110 will be'free -to move downwardlyto their lower most positions.

Riveted or otherwise, securely" fastened to the lower extremity of the-shutter actuating slide,5,0 is'a guide plate. extension 115 provvide d'with an elongated slot 116 through,

which. extends. a headecbpin 117' rigid-with the holding bar 57. 'lhusit will be seen that the guide '62 and the pin 117 constitute mem-' bers to control the directionalmovement or" Itheshu'tterslide or mother words, to insure reciprocations thereof. It. lsto be observed thatzth-is extension-"115 has a pocket provided with a plurality oiiserrations 118 in anedge wportion thereofas wellas withan outwardly extending hook 119 at the end of said pocket. 7

Said'hook and serrations are adapted to coc";- act with a pawl 120,1Ereelypivoted as at 121 to a bracket rigid with-the holding'bar 57, said" pawl controlled by a spring 122'and a stopf123. The purpose of the .pawland'serrations is to'provide a full-stroke compelling action onthe shutter slideias will'be readily -unolerstood.- The stop 123 is positioned to cause the spring 122 to lie on one side'of the pawlpivot'121, and the hook 119 is provided to engage the end of thepawl and move the same about its pivot to cause the saidspring to flop to the other'side of said pivot whereupon the end of the pawl Will'be maintained i in engagement with the serrationsllS. Stat- ,edin other words, when the targets are set,

: each shutter operating slide will be in the positionshown in Fig. 3, with the pawl 120 moved out of active-engagement with. the

, serrations 118 byithe end wallof the, pocket "in the guide plate 115. "InFig; 'the .posi- V V -tion of parts is illustrated after all the targets have been struck by'fired bansaad from thisfigure it will readily beseen-that each lshutterslide has been releasedby movement f its ta get'angle and caujsed to slide downwardly the hook 119 associated therewith 7 also moving downwardly toengage and turn Y its'pawl 120 to force the end of said pawl.

into engagement with the serrations 118; WVhen the crossbar 110 is next moved up wardly to set the targets the shutter actuating slides will be moved upwardly whereupon each pawl will ride successively. over the serrations 118 until the targets have been set. The chief eliect ofthis full-strokecompel lin'g' action isto relieve a back pressure on the. main actuating rod 12." In other words,

the rod- .12 may be actuated byawsuccession of jabbing motions and with each ofsaid motions the shutter slides 50 will be movedby a well .understood.step by-step action,,;the return ofany one slidebeing proventedby the serrations 118 thereof'being engagedby an associated pawl; 1

Fromthe foregoing will be obvious that this invention makes possiblean amusement device having in combination means for 110 cesslvely firlng a predetermined number of balls which is the pistol 10, together with" a plurality of targets toward which said balls may be fired a re'ciprocable, means for visibly indicating thetargets hit bysaid balls which are the indicator wheels 38 having as- V sociated therewith the shutters 45, the visiand comprises thevertica V 11y disposed slide 93 and the crossbar 1 10. i

may vary the details of construction as well I .95 It is obvious that those skilled in the art as arrangementsofvparts without departing. from the spirit of -the invention and it is therefore notdesired tobe limited to the above disclosure except as required by the claims. 4 V

What is claimed is 1. In an amusement device of the character described the combination of means for firing balls; a target provided with a'latch toward which said balls may be fired; rotatable 'means for visibly indicating when the target ice is hit; and a slide released by said latchfor l actuating the indicating means. I

2. In an amusement device of the character described the combination of meansfor firing 'ballsgga plurality-bf targets toward which H 7 said balls may be fired; rotatable means for visibly indicating'the targetshit by said balls; slidable springcontrolled means for actuating the indicating means; and reciprocating means for simultaneously setting I said targets.

3. Inan amusement device'of the character described the combination of means for firing balls; a plurality of targets toward which saidballsma'ybe fired rotatable means for V visibly indicating the targets hit by said balls; and reciprocatingmeans for simultaing means.

neously setting said targets and said, indicat- 4C. In an amusementdevice 'ofthe character, describedthe combination of means for 1 firing balls; a plurality of targets toward which said balls may be fired; rotatable means for visibly indicating the targets hit by said balls; and common reciprocating means for simultaneously setting said targets and said indicating means.

5. In an amusement device of the character described the combination of means for firing balls; a plurality of targets toward which said balls may be fired; rotatable means for visibly indicating the targets hit by said balls; and common reciprocating means coacting with said first named means for simultaneously setting said targets and said indicating means.

6. In a device of the character described the combination of means to fire balls; a tar get toward. which said balls may be fired; and means including a wheel, provided with a plurality of differing characters, and a shutter rotatable with said wheel for variably indicating when the target is hit.

7. In a device of the character described the combination of means to fire balls; a target toward which said balls may be fired;

1' and means for variably indicating when the target is hit said means including a wheel, provided with differing characters, and a shutter rotatable with said wheel, said wheel and shutter adapted to be rotated by the actuation of said target.

8. In a device of the character described the combination of means to fire balls; a target toward which said balls may be fired; and means for variably indicating when the target is hit said means including a wheel provided with differing characters and a shutter coacting therewith both adapted to be rotated by the actuation of a spring controlled slide latched and released by said target.

9. In a device of the character described the combination of means to fire balls; target members rigidly supported at one end toward which said balls may be fired; means for variably indicating the targets hit; a slide con trolling the indicating means; and a shutter interposed between said slide and said indicating means.

10. In a device of the character described 9 the combination of means to fire balls; target members rigidly supported at one end but free to move at the other end and toward which said balls may be fired; means for'variw ably indicating visibly the targets hit; and a a slide coacting with the free ends of said members for actuating the indicating means. 11. In an amusement device of the character described the combination of means for firing balls; a plurality of targets toward which said balls may be fired; and rotatable means for visibly indicating each target hit by a ball said means actuated by a slide normally elevated by a target but adapted to drop under the action of a control spring when said target is moved from thereunder upon being hit.

12. A devicev of the character described comprising a target member; means for indicating when the target is hit; control means for said indicating means adapted to latchingly coact with said target member; and reciprocating means for latching said control means after said target has been hit.

13. A device of the character described r comprising a plate, a target member-flexibly secured at one end to said plate; means for indicating through said plate when the target disposed between said indicatv end to said plate; means for indicating through the aperture of said plate when the target is hit; control means for said indieating means adapted to latchingly coact with said target member said control means including a shutter disposed between said indicating means and said plate said shutter i provided with an aperture adapted to register with the plate aperture; and reciprocating means for latching said control means after said target has been hit whereby said indicating means is made invisible by the moving of said apertures out of registry. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WALTER A. TRATSCH. 

